Long-reach tongs



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Application :tiled March all, 1922. Serial No. t'?.

To all 'who/m it may concern Be it lrnown that li, @scan lllrnnnnn, acitizen ot the United tltates, residing at Baltimore city, State oillli/laryland, have invented. certain new and use-ful improvements inLongdteach Tongs, of which the tollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to handling devices and more specifically, itrelates tol longreach tongs i i i @ne object oi this invention is toprovide a device oi this character having aws that are spring-pressedinto gripping engagement with an article to be gripped thereby.

vanother object is to provide a device of this character that isspring-pressed into theopen position when its gripping` engagement isreleased.

Another object is to provide a device of this character thatautomatically locks itself in the gripping engagement with an article.

Another object is to provide a device of this character that is: quicklyand easily re leasable with the maximum ot convenience, by a simplepressure oi a thumb or linger, from the means that locks or detains itin the gripping relation. j

ri further object is to provide a device ot this character thatautomaticallyV retains its `grip on articles of diiterent widths, andprovides tor increasing the pressure when necessary on account ciunusual. weight of `the article to be gripped or handled; also providingfor decreasing or minimizing the required pressure where the article tobe handled is comparatively li ght or fragile.

Another object to provide a device ot this character that iscomparatively strong, durali-le, compact, and convenient to handle andoperate.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out or implied in thefollowing details of description, `in connection with the accornpanying1drawings in which: j

l is a longitudinal sectional. view through the device, portions: beingbroken j Yfrom its intermediate. and rear end portions` F 2 is alongitudinal sectional view through the iront end portion, parts beingbroken away, the section being at right angles to that of l. Fig. 3 is asec` tional detail view along the line ltr-lil, Fig. l.

lteterring to these drawings in detail, in which similar referencecharacters corre` spond to similar parts throughout the sev eral views;-'li`he invention consists in the construction and arrangement orcombination `of parts, as will now be fully described, in detail, asfollows: i

i tubular body or reach is generally rejferred to by the numeral l, andis provided at its front end with a member 2 which in chicles a threadedsocket 3 into which the body or length of pipe l is screwed. rlFhemember l also includes two spaced pivot bearings at the front ends ottwo arms 4i, and two jaws or levers 5 are pivoted respectively to thesearms it. Springs 6, prefer ably oi: the helical retractile type, areconnected to the arms il: and aws 5 in such a manner that the jaws arethereby normally held open. These springs automatically return the jawsto the open position `when they are released from the automaticdetaining means which will be described. rlihe inner ends of the jaws orlevers 5 are lapped over one another and `connected to a linlr 7 by apin-andslot connection, as shown at 8, and` the link 7 is connected to aretractile helical spring 9 which is preferably closewonnd and ot' veryconsiderable strength or pulling power. A link or sliding actuatingmember l() is seated in a bearing 11, the latter being secured by anyappropriate means in the tube or body l. rlhe member l() is serrated ornotched at 12, and each notch provides a` shoiildery against which adetest i3 is adajiited to engage for holding the member 1 0 against thepressure of the spring to tension the latter and thus hold the jaws 5 inthe closed or gripping position. ll-lecause oit the strength of thespring 9, the

. grip oi the jaws 5 will hold comparatively heavy articles, like cansor jars of 'fruit and vegetables, that is, when-t-he member l() is ato-r near its rearmost position; but oi course, the pressure or tensionlof this spring (and consequently ci the jaws) is compara-` tively slightwhen the member 10 is drawn only slightly rearward, especially if thearticle being lgripped is comparatively small or narrow. By engagementof the detent 13 withone ot the rearmost ,teeth or shoulders oi? thenotches i2, the deviceV is automatically held in comparatively weakgripping engagement; but by the detent engaging one ci the foremostshoulders, the device is automatically 4held in a strong grippingengagement. The detent 13 is spring-presse by a spring 14C, through themedium ot' a handle or lever 15 which releases the memd no ber lO whensuiiicient pressure is applied to the lever l5 in opposition to thespring let.

The rear end of the member l is connected to a link or rod 16 which isconnected at its front end to a slide or plunger'l, prei'- erably by ascrew-threaded connection 1S, so that by turning the member 17, thelength of the connection between the members l? and 9 is shortened orlengthened for regulating the tension of the spring 9; and thisadjustment can be accomplished by applying a screw-driver in the notchQ0 of the member i7 and turning the screw-driver. fr pair of links 2lare pivoted to the member l?, at 22; and the outer ends ot these linksare pivoted respectively to a pair of handle members 23, at 2st; thefront ends of the members 23 being pivotedto a pair or spacedpivotbearings '275 which are Yiornied on a collar 26; the latter beingunited with the vbody l or secured thereon by any appropri- The' body lis slotted at 2 to ate means. permit the links 21 to swing on theirpivots when the members or links 23 are pressed towards the body l; torit may be seen that the links 2l are at an obtuse angle to the *links23, so that when these latter are pressed inwards, they cause the links2l to push the plunger 17 rearward, thus pulling the meinbers thatconnect this plunger to the spring 9 and consequently extending andtensioning the latter so as to operate the jaws and yieldingly hold thelatter in the clutching or clampingV relation.

A cushion/of rubber'or other appropriate material is shown at 28, toprevent injury to the floor and to the grappling` device when its 'rearend is placed on the floor while rcmoving the article it is clamping.

A spring of the helical compression type is shown at 29,'and the sainebears against a shoulder ot themember and aga-inst the bearing ll solasto assist the sprnigs 6 in returning the jaws to the normal or openposition.

In adjusting the nieinber 17, described in the foregoing. the screw orpivot 22 must iirst be removed and the links disconnected, so that themember 17 can be rotated.

Itis 'noty intended to limit this invention to the enact details oiconstruction and arrangement shown and described. but chan may be madewithin the scope ot the inventive ideas as limplied and claimed.

wWhat I claim as my invention is:

ljIn a grapple, the combination of a pair ot vgripping jaws, a body onwhich said jaws are mounted, an actuating handle on said body, and meansincluding an elast-ic ,aol

element connecting the handle to the jaws in such manner that the jawscan be both closed and yieldingly held closed by said handle and saidmeans.

2. rEhe structure delined by claim l, and releasable dctaining means torco-operating with the lirst said means to hold the jaws in the grippingposition when the handle is released.

3. The structure defined by claim and means to return the jaws andhandle and the ifirstsaid means to thc normal position when the handleis released.

4. The combination o'l a tubular body provided with spaced pivotbcarings at one end, gripping levers each pivoi'cd to one of `saidbearings and including a jaw. a spring bctween said bearings. meansoperatively connecting said spring with both oi" said grip p i lerersand operable when tensioncd to close the jaws of the levers. a handlenear the other end ot said tubular body, and means within the saidtulnilar body connecting the handle to the said spring in such mannerthat the operation oi' the handle will co operate with the spring andwith both of said j means so as to close the jaws ot said grippinglevers.

5. The structure defined by claim means being provided to adjust the'first said means for varying the tension ot said spring whilc holdingthe gripping jaws closed.

6. The combination of a tubular body provided with spaced pivot bciuingsat one cud and with spaced pivot bearings near its other end. grippinglevers pirotcd lo the said jaws respectively, an actuating elcnientslidably mounted in the first said cnd and provided with a shoulder.connecting means including a spring and connected to Said jaws and saidactuating clement. a spring-presseddetcnt mounted ou said body andengageable with said shoulder for holding the spring and thus holdingthe grip ping levers yieldingly closed on an object being gripped.handle members pivotcd rc spectively to the second said bearings. andmeans operatively connecting said handles to said actuatingclement in aproper manner for causing the latter to move to the position forengaging its shoulder with Isaid detcnt.

7. The structure defined by claim 7. the last said means including amember slidably mounted in said tubular body. and a pair ol2 linkspivotally connected to said slidably mounted member and pivotallyconnected to 'said handle members. substantially as shown.

ln testimony whereof l a liX mv signature.

osoiin s. wiNKLnR,

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